How to sharpen a TI Pierre Thiers LE

[EdinLA44]

I was drooling over the higher end TIs on the ClassicShaving site and the Pierre Thiers LE caught my eye. The hammer impressions that are left on the spine got me to thinking. How would one sharpen that razor with an uneven spine like that? Considering it's so rare and valueable, I'd be super paranoid that I'd wreck the edge trying to hone it.

[AFDavis11]

Maybe you can toss in a link...I don't see any TIs that would be hard to hone. You can toss the question into the honing section as well. Sometimes guys put electrical tape on the spine if the razor needs a lot of work. Most TIs come pretty sharp so honing is minimal.

[threeputt]

Ed, not sure about your question, but the razor will still lie flat on the hone if that's your concern. No matter what decoration the tang and spine have, they normally don't affect the part of the spine that rides on the hone.

Jeff

[glrerun]

I am not an advocate of putting electrical tape on the spine because it changes the honing angle. Not so much the first time, but the wear on the spine seems to me to be proportional to the shortening of the blade from honing.

On the one of only 450 TI Limited edition, I think I would make an exception and use the tape. At least for the first honing. After that I would try to never hone again using diamond pasted stropps to keep up with wear.

I am very curious to hear other opinions, because we do occasionally come across a precious piece that cannot be replaced. I may collect, but I use what I collect. That is what the maker had in mind.

[Lynn]

These are really nice limited edition TI's. I would typically hone one at a 45 degree angle. I have done a few and they are excellent shavers. Lynn

[EdinLA44]

What? Ya'll don't have Ray's site memorized?

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...551/977932.htm


From the photo, it looks like the part of the spine that would touch the hone is not uniform, hence my question. Maybe the photo is misleading.

[vladsch]

It hones just like any other smiling blade. You won't need much honing. Mine needed just a few 1/3's (that is 1 lap on the 4k, 3 on the 8k) then 12k shapton and the pasted strop.

Shaves like a dream. A real work of art.

[Tony Miller]

The area that rides against the hone is smooth and won't be an issue. only the back edge is hammered and would not wear away in your lifetime. Stropping feels a little different as the spine curves oddly so rolling the razor on it's spine takes a little concentration.

I have one of these as well and love it. One of my favorite razors. I am slowly building a collection of TI limited razors. The hand forged, the damascus, the frame back, the leaf and vine, the covered tang and a whalebone handled version so far. I do want to add an Egyptian as well. Most of these mentioned are from blanks no longer made by TI and when gone there will be no more. Actually some are available in numbers far less than the Pierre Thiers model.

I still own a few other brands, but the TI razors are may favorites.

Tony

[EdinLA44]

OK, so it's the look from the photo then. I'll get a TI or two one of these days. Hopefully there will be a few LEs left for me to buy.

[thebigspendur]

I have one and it has required little in the way of honing. A few strokes on the yellow coticule has kept it in tip top shape and I hone it the same as my other double hollow ground razors.